Slow & Steady
by tjmack
Summary: Now that Emma knows about fairytale life, she has to deal with that fact that her parents are Snow White & Prince Charming


_**A/N: SPOILERS FOR THE FINALE. This is my first time writing for this fandom. I just watched the entire first season (thank you hulu plus!) and I LOVE it. I was a little upset that we didn't get a family reunion scene, since that was what I was so looking forward to, so I wrote one. Please be gentle, it usually takes me a couple of stories to get into a real groove with the character's voice, so this may be a bit OOC. I do have an idea for a Emma&Graham inspired one, but I want to see how everyone reacts to this one first. **_

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Thoughts raced through Emma's mind as she stood in the sand, her bare-feet digging deeply in. One of her hands combed through her hair, the other was placed firmly on Henry's shoulder. She had ultimately gotten what she wanted. She could now fight for custody of Henry, and she now had parents. However, the fact that she had been living with her mother, been best friends with her, and she didn't even know. It was all a little too much to take in. She sighed, as she ran a hand through her hair.

Henry yanked on the edge of her jacket, causing her to look down at him. "Emma, can I call you mom now?" A twinkle blazed in his eyes, and Emma smiled at him.

"I would be offended if you didn't." She pulled him against her, hugging him tightly. "I love you, Henry." It almost scared her how easily loving her son had come. She had given him up, because she knew she couldn't take care of him the way he deserved. It was something that she regretted, knowing where he ended up, or who he ended up with. She almost wanted Regina to fight her on custody. Emma would give anything to fight her to the bloody end. Hell, Emma was fairly certain that she would've killed Regina when she realized what she had done to Henry. Too bad she needed Regina alive to save her son.

"Mom?" Henry calling out to her, forced her to look back down at her son.

"Yeah?"

"I think it's about time you talk to your parents, don't you?"

Emma sighed, and shook her head. She didn't understand how someone so smart and articulate had come from her. Henry definitely didn't get it from his father, God knows that's the truth. "I know. I'm just not-" Emma heard the definite sound of sand rustling behind her. Henry smiled, hugging Emma one last time before running off behind her. Emma took her time, before turning around. Her mother bent down and hugged Henry tightly. She could see his mouth moving, and watched her mother smile brightly. He then took off toward the parking lot, where Emma was certain her father was.

"Hello, Emma." The awkward tension between them was almost palpable. If Emma had a knife, she was certain that she would be able to cut through it.

Sighing loudly, Emma walked forward slightly, stopping short of standing directly in front of her mother. "I'm not entirely sure what to call you." Emma kicked at the sand under her feet. She hated feeling so—out of place.

"Whatever you're comfortable with."

Emma looked up, this woman wasn't her mother. She was Mary Margret. Her best friend and roommate. "Do you remember-" Emma coughed uncomfortably, not sure how to ask the question she was wanting to ask. "Do you remember both worlds?" Saying the words out loud sounded even worse than it did in her mind.

"Yes. Which is why we can take this as slow as you want, Emma. I will not force you into a relationship you're not comfortable with. If you want to just be friends right now, then that's fine. When you're ready though, I would like to tell you, you're story."

Emma nodded her head unconsciously. "Henry told me some of it. I think it was his way of getting me to believe-" She closed her eyes, realizing just how far Henry had to go to get her to believe. Her chest felt like someone was sitting on it. Her breathing started to hitch slightly as she collapsed to her knees. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. "It's my fault. Henry almost died, and it's all my fault." A sob broke through her throat, as she watched through bleary eyes, her mother kneel in front of her.

"No, Emma. None of what's happened is your fault." She reached out her hand, and pressed it against Emma's shoulder. "It's Regina's fault, it's August's fault-" she sighed. "It's my fault, but it is not your fault."

At that Emma looked up at her mother, and saw her, really saw her for the first time. With one hand, she wiped away her tears, with her other she reached out and pulled her mother into a hug. "I think I'm ready." Emma found that she was smiling through her tears.

"Good, because I have spent 28 years without my daughter, I'm not sure how much longer I could survive without having you in my life."

Emma smiled. "Well, mom, you're not gonna have to find out." With that, Emma stood up, and helped her mother up. They started to walk back toward the parking lot, their arms looped together. It was still going to take time, and Emma was going to have to adjust to a much different world, but Emma realized that for the first time in her life, she could truly be happy.

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_**Thoughts & Opinions? Be nice & gentle plz!**_


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